Did your Doc require a pre-op diet?

I know what torture for food junkies, such as myself. I have been on liquid protein + 1 protein bar a day for 4 weeks. I did have egg drop soup on christmas eve. I am allowed to have broth so.....the way I see it, that's better than sweet and sour chicken and 2 plates of crab ragoon. I am starting to get a little antsy my banding is Thur. a.m. I think my sister is more on edge about this than I am. Her job is to care for the cats[2] and drive me home from the hospital. She said she is going to stay at least 2 nights. Does anyone think I will need her even that long?

I didn't really need anyone the first night, though I did have my husband around. I'm sure it will be comforting to you to have your sister but I doubt you will actually "need" her. It's good to have any excuse to get up and walk so you don't want her waiting on you hand and foot. Good luck!

2 nights sounds good. You will probably rest most of the time. You'll also be sore at the port site. Good luck!

My sister is taking care of my dog, and I am going to stay with my parents for about 5 days, whether I need to or not. Its been about 25 years since either one of them actually took care of me, so I am going to take advantage of their offer.

My insurance is requiring a 3mon Dr. regulated diet. Has anyone had to diet so long?

Many, if not most (including Medicare) insurances are requiring six months supervised/documented diet attempt, or two documented 3 month attemps. If you only have to do three months altogether, that is not too bad. My six months is up around 1/16/08. Then paperwork for my PCP to sign, which goes back to the bariatric team, at which point I believe the paperwork goes to insurance. Hoping to get a date around mid-Feb 2008.

I will be banded on 1/23/08 in Bradenton, FL by Dr.Ebella and Dr.Bunch. They have me starting the liquid diet 10 days prior to surgrey. I have warned everyone to BEWARE during that time.:help: I am so excited but scared all at the same time. I am worried I will do something wrong since I work 2 jobs and on the go all the time. Any suggestions?:ranger:

:)Yes! My insurance was so strick on their guidelines. I had to complete the 6 months.

I had decided to use a surgeon that a friend of mine used. He had a lot of problems. Their office submitted my paperwork and I was denied .... because all the paperwork was not in order. I was told to submit the appeal myself with my primary doctor. I was sooo stressed. Then a co-worker of my boyfriends told him about her surgeon and I called them they handled everything. I had all the paperwork but the first office did not know what they were doing..I rec'ed my approval 2 days later. So make sure you have your ducks in a row so you don't have to go thru what I did.

My doctor merely sent all my records to the Lap Band surgeon's office. I spent more than 15 years trying to lose weight. I didn't do a 6 month diet before they scheduled surgery and I was approved. My insurance is Oxford Liberty PPO.

I am in day 10 of my liquid phase.

I started my two week pre-op liquid diet and had a pretty bad scare yesterday. I have Type II diabetes and last night, I was feeling really weird. I checked my blood sugar and it was at 47. Very low. I called my regular Dr and he said to do what you have to do to get the sugar level up, including eating some bread. I did. I'm waiting on my endocrinologist to decide how much insulin I should be taking now. I feel much better today and my blood sugar is back to normal.

I am on a clear liquid diet for two weeks..........12 days to go! It is rough, but I know it will be worth it!

2 weeks liquid here..

Very lowfat diet to shrink liver, and High protein. Wasn't that bad .Still had cottage cheese,yogurt,turkey,fish.. Surgery went great too. GOOD LUCK TO ALL !!! It was worth it all.

3 Days prior to surgery I had to have clear liquids only.

Just finished day five of very low carb/high protein diet. Eating about 1100 cals/day. Five days to go and then surgery! Doc said goal is to eliminate glycogen stores in order to reduce liver size. I am pretty hungry but taking it a day at a time.

My doctor ordered one week of liquids before surgery. My surgery is scheduled for 1/9/08, so today is my first day. I feel awful!! I think it's sugar withdrawal, since I felt this way for the first few days when I tried Atkins. I can have sf pudding, skim milk, Protein whey shakes and blended low fat Soups. I think I've had about 500 cal so far today. I heard if I can make it through the first couple of days, I'll be ok. I sure hope so!

:omg:

I had to do it 3 days prior to surgery. It was the second phase of the doc's three phase diet. Basically, a Liquid Protein diet. Since I wasn't banded, I ate more than what I eat now (3 days post-op).

I looked at it like a preview of coming attractions. Needless to say, it made my apprehensive about committing to WLS. At this point, I'm doing fine, so maybe this wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Did your Doc require a pre-op diet?

The main purpose of losing weight before surgery is to shrink the liver.

When you are overweight, the liver is overweight and we lift the liver to put the band in. If the liver is large it makes the surgery more difficult, harder to see high up on the stomach where we're working. The first weight you lose comes right out of the liver. It is easier for the body to mobilize liver fat than the kind that makes our clothes tight.

You wouldn't believe the difference it makes in the ease of surgery when patients lose even 10 pounds before surgery.

The biggest livers are in men, diabetics and BMI>50. I tell patients to lose 10 pounds for each of these.

So for example, a female, non-diabetic, BMI<50 is an easier case as far as the liver is concerned.

There have been instances of surgeons not being able to put the band in due to the size of the liver.

Leaving a "fatty liver" for many years can actually cause cirrhosis - the same liver disease that alcoholics get.

Fatty liver can cause elevations in liver enzymes on blood tests.

Losing weight is amazingly great for your health for many reasons. It also is great for your liver.